Therapy? are an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist–vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing from Larne, Northern Ireland. The band initially recorded their first demo with Cairns filling in on bass guitar. To complete the lineup, the band recruited Larne bassist Michael McKeegan.With keen pop sensibilities, a skewed sense of humour and a willingness to draw inspiration from diverse sources (notably punk rock), Therapy? came to attention in the early 1990s rise of alternative rock, but have endured for two decades since; critic Johnny Loftus writes: "after a ten-plus year career that has seen them outlast competitors and outwit industry attempts at categorization... Therapy are still headbangers with their thinking caps screwed on tight."Following the addition of Neil Cooper on drums, the band has enjoyed a stable lineup since 2004. Therapy? are currently signed to new UK independent label Amazing Record Co.. The band has sold over two million albums worldwide...While attending a charity gig at the Jordanstown Polytechnic in early 1989, Andy Cairns noticed Fyfe Ewing playing drums in a punk covers band. The two spoke afterwards and agreed to meet for rehearsal in Fyfe's house in Larne with Andy playing a small practice amp and Fyfe playing his kit with brushes. In the summer they recorded a four track demo tape (Thirty Seconds of Silence) with Andy playing a bass guitar borrowed from Fyfe's classmate Michael McKeegan. Deciding to play live, they recruited McKeegan and played their debut gig at the Belfast Art College supporting Decadence Within on 20 August 1989. They followed this up with another four track demo tape (Meat Abstract). Their sound was becoming highly influenced by artists of the indie rock movement such as The Jesus Lizard, Big Black and The Membranes as well as new beat disco acts such as Belgian outfit Errotic Dissidents...Therapy? released its first single, called Meat Abstract in July 1990. The single was limited to 1000 copies, and released on the bands' own Multifuckinational Records. During the summer of that year, the band made its first tour through the United Kingdom with The Beyond, catching the attention of influential DJ John Peel along the way. The band's early years followed the familiar pattern of hard graft on the local alternative music scene, with Cairns often putting in a full day at the Michelin tyre factory (where he worked as a quality controller), then speeding across Northern Ireland in order to make it to gigs. The band also took whatever support slot they could, opening for the likes of Loop, Ride, Teenage Fanclub, Inspiral Carpets, Tad, Fugazi and Ned's Atomic Dustbin. Therapy? quickly came to the attention of local music fans with their distinctively uncompromising style. Their use of guitar feedback as a "fourth instrument" and unconventional song structures, combined with a darkly original approach to lyrics and imaginative use of samples pulled from cult movies and obscure documentaries, led them to being spotted in 1990 by London-based independent label Wiiija Records. The move was helped by Lesley Rankine of Silverfish, who passed the band's first single on to Gary Walker of Wiiija.

Album:

Cleave is the fifteenth studio album by the band Therapy?, and the first album to be released on new UK label Marshall Records, part of the Marshall Amplification company. Produced by Chris Sheldon, who previously produced Troublegum and Semi-Detached, it was released on 21 September 2018.Demo sessions for the album began at Blast Studios, Newcastle, England in late 2017. The album proper was recorded from 15 January to 8 February 2018 at Blast Studios.Pre-orders of the album went live on 25 June 2018 through Pledge Music and included a signed CD, LP, coloured LP (limited edition of 500), white label test pressing LP (limited to 10), handwritten lyric sheets and an exclusive T-shirt.If you were to put together an extensive list of the most important British rock bands of the last few decades, then it’s perhaps not unlikely that you’d eventually arrive at Northern Irish trio THERAPY? in doing so. Having formed at the tail end of the 1980’s, the band would go on to produce multiple works of genuine gold within the realm of alternative music over the next decade – most notably culminating with their 1994 critical peak Troublegum. Ever since then, the three-piece have shown remarkable consistency in their releases – soldiering on with record after record of bangers and now finally hitting the milestone of their fifteenth album.As soon as you press play on Cleave, there’s no build-up, just the immediate punch-to-the-face riff of Wreck It Like Beckett. Interweaving staccato riffing with almost-rap-rock-like vocals, it’s an heavily impactful opening gambit, and one that fully reestablishes the punky alt-metal stylings that THERAPY? are best known for in the mind of the listener; with Andy Cairns’ distorted vocals providing the perfect counterbalance to his bandmates’ cacophony of noise. It’s a powerful combination, and one that simply feels exciting if nothing else.In fact, if there’s one thing that THERAPY? could never be accused of with this record, it’s being boring. Near enough every moment on Cleave crackles with energy and excitement; be it the bouncy almost-RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE stomp of Kakistocracy, or the curled-lip snarl of Expelled (the latter being driven by some truly thunderous rhythmic backing by bassist Michael McKeegan and drummer Neil Cooper). Along the way, a masterful production job from returning Troublegum helmsman Chris Sheldon, back at the desk for the first time since 2003’s High Anxiety, ensures that Cleave comes across as possessing a raw sonic canvas very much in the vein of what made them so beloved in the first place.That’s not to say everything present here is fuzzed-up and overdriven to death though. Lead single Callow lets loose early the band’s deceptive knack for crafting big hooks, and creates a deeply memorable track in doing so. At the most accessible end of the spectrum, Save Me From The Ordinary possesses easily one of the more melodic vocals on Cleave, whilst Crutch takes an almost WILDHEARTS-esque approach to crafting its huge soaring chorus; creating a pairing of two of the record’s best moments in the process.Screeching guitars and clattering drums are the order of the day once more on Dumbdown, meanwhile; the track more or less living up to its name by sacking off much in the way of melody, creating a more simplistic and primal, yet still heavily engaging beast of a track. With clattering, scattergun drumming and more rap-like vocal lines, it’s most definitely within the alt-metal banner, and something that doesn’t so much ask for your attention as grab you by the throat and demand it.After such a relentlessly high-pace, it’s one last refreshing surprise then that the record ends on a moment like No Sunshine, a track which manages to meld blasts of energetic punk with the aforementioned huge choruses, as well as throwing in some dour and stripped-back verses almost bereft of any accompaniment at times. It truly feels like a distillation of almost every other moment on Cleave, and not only succeeds in melding these elements, but in being a brilliant anthem to boot.Overall, there’s actually very little negative to point out in the ten tracks that make up Cleave. By continuing to marry white-hot riffing with both primal and melodic vocals in equal measure, THERAPY? have very much continued to prove why they’re one of the best in the game at what they do; creating a handful of moments here that may even stack up as being some of their best since Troublegum.